[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10068-10070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03207]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2021-0006-N-1]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified in the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
April 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR to 
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer at email: 
hodan.wells@dot.gov or telephone: (202) 493-0440, and Mr. John Purnell, 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at email: john.purnell@dot.gov 
or telephone: (202) 493-0500. Please refer to the assigned OMB control 
number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments 
received in response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include 
them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information 
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, 
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR 
regarding: (1) Whether the information collection activities are 
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether 
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's 
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, 
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to 
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways 
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on 
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
    FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the 
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of 
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons 
that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) Reduce 
reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in 
a ``user-friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and 
(3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:

[[Page 10069]]

    Title: Accident/Incident Reporting and Recordkeeping.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0500.
    Abstract: The railroad accident/incident reporting regulations in 
49 CFR part 225 require railroads to submit monthly reports summarizing 
collisions, derailments, and certain other accidents/incidents 
involving damages above a periodically revised dollar threshold, as 
well as certain injuries to passengers, employees, and other persons on 
railroad property. As the reporting requirements and the information 
needed regarding each category of accident/incident are unique, a 
different form is used for each category.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.54; .55; .55a; .56; .57; .78; .81; .97; .98; 
.107; .150.
    Respondent Universe: 765 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Total annual
   CFR section/subject \1\        Respondent      Total annual     Average time    Total annual     dollar cost
                                   universe        responses       per response    burden hours   equivalent \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
225.6(a)--Consolidated         765 railroads..  0.33 request...  40 hours.......           13.20       $1,022.60
 reporting--Request to FRA by
 parent corporation to treat
 its commonly controlled
 carriers as a single
 railroad carrier for
 purposes of this part.
225.9--Telephonic reports of   765 railroads..  3,123 phone      15 minutes.....          780.75       60,484.70
 certain accidents/incidents                     reports.
 and other events.
225.11--Reporting of           765 railroads..  1,970 forms....  2 hours........        3,940.00      305,231.80
 accidents/incidents--Form
 FRA F 6180.54.
225.12(a)--Rail equipment      765 railroads..  772 forms......  15 minutes.....          193.00       14,951.71
 accident/incident reports
 alleging human factor as
 cause--Form FRA F 6180.81.
--(b) Part I Form FRA F        765 railroads..  800 notices +    10 minutes (per          333.83       25,861.81
 6180.78 (Notices and copies).                   800 notice       notice) + 3
                                                 copies + 3,200   minutes (per
                                                 copies + 10      copy).
                                                 copies.
--(c) Joint operations.......  765 railroads..  77 reports.....  20 minutes.....           25.67        1,988.65
--(d) Late identification....  765 railroads..  20 attachments   10 minutes.....            6.67          516.72
                                                 + 20 notices.
--(g) Employee statement       Railroad         60 statements..  1.5 hours......           90.00        5,331.60
 supplementing railroad         employees.
 accident report (Part II
 Form FRA 6180.78).
--(g)(3) Employee              Railroad         5 letters......  2 hours........           10.00          592.40
 confidential letter.           employees.
225.13(A)--Late reports--RR    765 railroads..  25 late reports  2 hours........           50.00        3,873.50
 discovery of improperly
 omitted report of accident/
 incident.
--(B) RR late/amended report   765 railroads..  20 amended       1 hour (per               21.50        1,665.61
 of accident/incident based                      reports + 30     amended
 on employee statement                           copies.          report) + 3
 supplementing RR accident                                        minutes (per
 report.                                                          copy).
225.18(a)--RR narrative        765 railroads..  12 reports.....  15 minutes.....            3.00          232.41
 report of possible alcohol/
 drug involvement in accident/
 incident.
--(b) Reports required by      765 railroads..  5 reports......  30 minutes.....            2.50          193.68
 section 219.209(b) appended
 to rail equipment accident/
 incident report.
225.19(a)--Rail-highway grade  765 railroads..  2,231 forms....  2 hours........        4,462.00      345,671.14
 crossing accident/incident
 report--Form FRA F 6180.57.
--(d) Death, injury, or        765 railroads..  8,966 death,     1 hour (death,        11,636.00      901,440.92
 occupational illness (Form                      injury, or       injury, or
 FRA F 6180.55a).                                occ. illness     occ. illness
                                                 forms + 1,044    forms) + 2
                                                 trespasser       hours
                                                 forms + 291      (trespasser
                                                 suicide forms.   forms) + 2
                                                                  hours (suicide
                                                                  forms).
225.21--Railroad injury and    765 railroads..  9,180 forms....  10 minutes.....        1,530.00      118,529.10
 illness summary--Form FRA F
 6180.55.
225.21--Annual railroad        765 railroads..  765 forms......  15 minutes.....          191.25       14,816.14
 report of employee hours and
 casualties, by state--Form
 FRA F 6180.56.
225.21/25--Railroad employee   765 railroads..  4,000 forms....  1 hour.........        4,000.00      309,880.00
 injury and/or illness
 record--Form FRA F 6180.98.
--Copies of forms to           765 railroads..  120 form copies  2 minutes......            4.00          309.88
 employees.
225.21--Initial rail           765 railroads..  10,518 forms...  30 minutes.....           5,259      407,414.73
 equipment accident/incident
 record--Form FRA F 6180.97.
--Alternative record for       765 railroads..  150 forms......  75 minutes.....          187.50       14,525.63
 illnesses claimed to be work
 related--Form FRA F 6180.107.

[[Page 10070]]

 
--Highway user statement--RR   765 railroads..  836 letters/     50 minutes.....          696.67       53,971.02
 cover letter and Form FRA F                     forms.
 6180.150 sent out to
 potentially injured
 travelers involved in a
 highway-rail grade crossing
 accident/incident.
--Form FRA F 6180.150          1,035 injured    585 forms......  45 minutes.....          438.75       33,989.96
 completed by highway user      individuals.
 and sent back to railroad.
225.25(h)--Posting of monthly  765 railroads..  9,180 lists....  5 minutes......          765.00       59,264.55
 summary.
225.27(a)(1)--Retention of     765 railroads..  4,000 records..  2 minutes......          133.33       10,329.08
 records.
--Record of Form FRA F         765 railroads..  100 records....  2 minutes......            3.33          257.98
 6180.107s.
--Record of monthly lists....  765 railroads..  9,180 records..  2 minutes......          306.00       23,705.82
(a)(2)--Record of Form FRA F   765 railroads..  10,518 records.  2 minutes......          350.60       27,160.98
 6180.97.
--Record of employee human     765 railroads..  1,632 records..  2 minutes......           54.40        4,214.37
 factor attachments.
225.33--Internal control       765 railroads..  10 amendments..  6 hours........           60.00        4,648.20
 plans--Amendments.
225.35--Access to records and  765 railroads..  200 lists......  20 minutes.....           66.67        5,164.92
 reports.
225.37(a)--Optical media       1 railroad.....  12 transfers...  3 minutes......            0.60           46.48
 transfer of reports,
 updates, and amendments.
(c)(2)--Electronic submission  765 railroads..  4,590            3 minutes......          229.50       17,779.37
 of reports, updates, and                        submissions.
 amendments.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................  765 railroads..  89,057           N/A............          35,845       2,775,067
                                                 responses.
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\1\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 46,577 hours while the total burden of this notice is
  35,844 hours. Totals may not add due to rounding.
\2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface Transportation Board's 2019 Full Year Wage A&B data
  series using the appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-percent overhead charge.

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 89,057.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 35,845 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$2,775,067.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), 
FRA informs all interested parties that a respondent is not required to 
respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does 
not display a currently valid OMB control number.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2021-03207 Filed 2-17-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


